You may have reached this page by scanning a QR code at one of our fire stations.
Fire stations are operational workplaces. Firefighting clothing, equipment and vehicles can return from incidents carrying smoke, soot and other residues. We separate some areas of our stations to help prevent these residues being transferred into clean working and living spaces.
Most visitors will remain in clean areas and will not need to do anything differently. Simply follow the signs and any instructions provided by your Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service host or site contact.
When you arrive
Unless you have been given different instructions, please:
- report to the agreed meeting or reception point
- wait for your BFRS host before moving around the station
- remain within the areas and routes identified for your visit
- follow all signs, barriers and instructions
- keep children and permitted animals appropriately supervised
- keep clear of appliance doors, vehicles and access routes.
Fire stations remain operational during visits and contractor activity. If an alarm sounds or crews need to respond to an incident, follow staff instructions promptly.
Understanding the different areas
You may see signs, doors, floor markings or barriers identifying different areas of the station. These help us manage the movement of people and equipment between clean and potentially contaminated spaces.
Arrangements vary between stations and may change temporarily because of operational activity, maintenance or building work. Do not rely on colour alone: always read the sign and follow the route you have been given.
Area
What it means
What you need to do
Green – clean area
An area intended to remain free from incident-related contamination. This may include reception areas, offices, meeting rooms, kitchens and living accommodation.
Visitors will normally remain in these areas. Do not bring used firefighting clothing, breathing apparatus, dirty tools or potentially contaminated materials into them.
Amber – controlled area
An area used to manage movement between clean and potentially contaminated spaces. This may include parts of appliance bays, changing areas, breathing apparatus rooms or designated cleaning points.
Only enter if you have been authorised. Follow any instructions about access routes, protective equipment, handwashing, cleaning or supervision.
Red – restricted area
An area, item or piece of equipment where contamination is known or reasonably likely. This may include used firefighting clothing or equipment awaiting cleaning, designated dirty areas or temporary areas established during cleaning or maintenance work.
Do not enter, touch or move anything unless you are authorised, appropriately protected and working under an agreed safe system of work.
If you are unsure where you can go, stop and speak to your BFRS host or site contact. Local signs and instructions always take priority over the general information on this page.
During your visit
Please do not:
- enter appliance bays, changing areas, breathing apparatus rooms, laundry facilities or equipment stores unless specifically authorised
- touch or move firefighting clothing, breathing apparatus, hoses or other operational equipment
- touch anything that has been isolated, covered or bagged
- move signs, barriers or other safety controls.
Tell a member of BFRS staff immediately if you notice a spill, damaged barrier, unexpected residue or anything else that concerns you.
Information for contractors
Before starting work, you must agree with your BFRS site contact how the station’s access and contamination-control arrangements affect your task.
These arrangements must be considered within the relevant:
- risk assessments and method statements
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health assessments, where applicable
- permits to work
- site induction and emergency arrangements.
Before work begins, confirm:
- your authorised access route and work area
- welfare and storage arrangements
- any isolation requirements
- how tools, materials, packaging and waste will enter and leave the site
- the action to take in an emergency
- who to contact if conditions change.
You must assess whether your work could disturb or spread soot, dust or other residues, or bring you into contact with used firefighting clothing, breathing apparatus, operational vehicles or cleaning areas.
Use suitable controls to prevent footwear, tools, materials and waste transferring contamination between areas. Depending on the work, these may include protective coverings, segregated storage, controlled cleaning or separate waste arrangements.
You must also:
- follow the agreed route and safe system of work
- use the PPE or respiratory protective equipment identified through your own risk assessment and the agreed site controls
- not use fire service operational PPE as contractor protective equipment
- not move operational equipment, vehicles, signs or barriers without permission
- not store, prepare or clean tools and materials in kitchens, offices, meeting rooms or living accommodation
- stop work if you find anything unexpected or the agreed controls are no longer suitable.
At the end of the work, remove waste and protective materials using the agreed route. Complete any required cleaning and confirm with your BFRS site contact that the area can be returned to normal use before signing out.
This information supports, but does not replace, the contractor’s responsibilities, site induction, risk assessments, method statements, COSHH assessments or permit-to-work arrangements.
If you enter a restricted area or come into contact with residue
If you think you may have entered a restricted area or touched potentially contaminated material:
- Stop what you are doing.
- Avoid touching clean surfaces or moving into other areas unnecessarily.
- Tell your BFRS host, site contact or the nearest member of staff immediately.
- Follow the instructions provided for leaving the area and cleaning or isolating clothing, tools or equipment.
- Seek medical advice if you feel unwell or are concerned about a possible exposure. Call 999 in a medical emergency.
Why we manage contamination
Contamination is not always visible and can be transferred on clothing, footwear, hands, equipment, tools or vehicles.
Separating clean and potentially contaminated activities helps us reduce unnecessary exposure and protect our staff, visitors, contractors and station working and living spaces.
We continue to review and improve these arrangements across our fire stations. The controls and layout at each site may therefore differ.